4- or 5-string for session work?

[Ryan Griffith]

Yes, yes, I know... another session question, but this one's sorta specific. Here's the story:

I've vascillated for several years about going to a music school & finally decided to cut it out & go. I'll worry about not being able to find work later when it happens My goal is to be able to start working sessions & the like when I get out. Now, I have to replace one of my basses, and my question is what's more useful to a session player... a 4-string Fender Jazz type or a 5-string? Does a session player need a 5-string in the collection, or is not specifically called for much? I'm planning ahead here I know, but once I start school I doubt I'll be able to afford food, let alone a bass!

[AlembicKoa]

If you are going to do session work, a 5 seems mandatory these days. As a 4 player I muddle my way through without one, but there is one handy should I need it.

[ikestr]

Griff,

 

I agree with Alembic, a 5 is the standard now. In addition, you will never have to say 'damn! I wish I had my 5 here'. You cant go wrong with having a 5 in the studio.

 

ikestr

[The Fonz]

Originally posted by ikestr:

In addition, you will never have to say 'damn! I wish I had my 5 here'.

after buying my 5 i started to think "how did i ever live without this?" and after getting it stolen i constantly think "this lick would be so much cooler with a low C# right there." you can get along fine for the rest of your life with a 4 string and make amazing music along the way, but i find that the extra lows really open a lot more options than you might initially think.

[Wickerman]

I'm getting a five soon. I LOVE four strings and think it's how God created basses and how basses should be kept! BUT! It does help when jamming with friends to have a low B. It helps doubling de-tuned guitar lines. When I try to tune down my current basses they flop like mad! That's why I usually play jazzier stuff.

[jehanalov]

would this be a good place about string spacing?

 

I am planning to get a 5 string, and am wondering you thoughts/preferences on string spacing. Does closer spacing make it harder to play? Do you get used to it? Maybe make it easier to play?

[Ben]

Hmm, not sure whether this is a good place about string spacing or not. Anyway, I have small hands and had some problems when I switched to 5 string. My main bass is an MTD Beast, 35" scale and wide string spacing, so I bought a Fernandes with a 34" neck and narrow string spacing to see if that would help.

 

The hand problems seem to be from "wrist posture", discussed in other places, not the size of the neck.

 

Even with my small hands, I don't like the narrow string spacing, it feels "claustrophobic" to me. I like the MTD wide spacing better, the Fernandes got de-fretted and now my son has it.

 

IMHO, YMMV, FWIW, etc.

[RobT]

Originally posted by Ben:

The hand problems seem to be from "wrist posture", discussed in other places, not the size of the neck.

 

Even with my small hands, I don't like the narrow string spacing, it feels "claustrophobic" to me. I like the MTD wide spacing better, the Fernandes got de-fretted and now my son has it.

 

IMHO, YMMV, FWIW, etc.

I agree 100% with Ben. Being a smaller hand player I find the narrow string spacing is too confining. I play mainly fingerstyle and some slap. I learned how to play a long time ago on a bass with Fender spacing (3/4" forgot what that equates to in millimeters) and like 5's or 6's with at least that much spacing for my pluck/stroke hand. It'll make you develop a cleaner technique with your fretting hand along with some muting techniques where appropriate. Let's not get too hung up on hand size.

 

just my .02 cents.

 

RobT

[Tom Capasso]

Spacing can be interesting. There are two sides to it - top and bottom. Many bridges use a specific spacing, so the bottom dimensions are set (some are adjustable, and we are seeing more of the "separate" bridges, where there is a physically independent bit of metal for each string). The neck width and nut width seem to vary more than the bridge does. You have to look at basses you like, and then check the width at the bridge, 12th fret (sometimes they provide this measurement) and nut.

 

I like narrow more than wide myself, mostly because I've played a narrow instrument since before I knew better.

 

Tom

[Graybass]

I have small hands with broad fingers. My Ibanez 5 has very narrow spacing and I cope, my Warwick 6 is wider spaced and I find it easy to play.

 

I think that the reason some people have hand problems with 5/6 string basses is strap height. If you sling a wide neck too low you are creating hand stress. If you are having trouble with your hands try shortening your strap and playing with your thumb behind the neck. Once you get used to the position you will find it much easier on your hands.

 

On the subject of a 4 or a 5 in the studio - the 5 is probably the most versatile though there are some things that just sound better on a 4. Slapping just sounds better on a 4 for example. If you can only take 1 bass it has to be a 5. Probably something like a Lakland or Sadowsky will give you the most options though a Carvin B5 with the MM style pickup would do nicely. When I owned and recorded a Carvin (an older LB75 with 2 J style humbuckers) - it was quiet and sat really well in a mix.

[The Fonz]

i myself prefer a wider spacing. the basses i make for myself have a 3" width at the bridge and a 2" spacing at the nut. that works out to just under 3/4" at the bridge. i also used to play an ibanez 4 and the string spacing was a bit "claustrophobic" but i do know people who swear by it.

[sixpence_dup1]

I'm using both currently but the boon of the five string is as mentioned-playing with detuned guitars. constantly retuning to deal with 1/2 step dropped d guitar just became a pain so i got a 5'er.

 

I'm mixing a singing contest every sunday(I do sound for a living-trying to get on the other side agian these days). 9 heats 10 singers each then quarter, semi and finals. Basically each singer does 2 songs with a house band. Dave the guy in the band has a beautiful Thompson PentaBass (Irish maker-5 string), he reckons he couldn't do this competition without the 5... a 4 is too limited.

 

I enjoy playing 4 string, I'm still getting used to the 5(Man damping the B is such a pain).

 

On the new incubus CD Dirk Lance plays 5 string fro most of the album (Warwick Thumb) but use a fender 4 string (think it's a 62 p-bass-not sure) for the coolest track "Are you in?"...

 

SO....... one of each if you please..

[61Pbass]

I generally have a 4 and a 5 on hand when I hit the studio.......or the stage. Although I prefer playing a 4 string it's always best to be well armed when heading into battle. As far as the string spacing thing goes, that's all a matter of style and feel. I really prefer (OK, I'm prepared for the backlash) a Musicman Stingray 5 because they seem to be a decent compromise on string spacing and neck width for a 5.....not to wide, not too narrow, sort of in between.....and I don't even have an endorsement from them at this point. Don't tell Jackson I said that, OK?

[Jeff Addicott]

The standard 5-string spacing seems to be just a tad on the narrow side: 17mm or 11/16". After owning 5 different 5-strings, I can safely say that I DETEST narrow spacing. In the past I've gotten by on a Stingray 5 and a Fernandes APB-5 (with "medium" spacing), but now that I've got a wide-spaced Warmoth, there's no comparison. For me, playing comes much more naturally on a 5-string with full 3/4" spacing. I feel much more cozey, I slap cleaner, I groove harder. I'm never going back.

 

I might be a bit of an exceptional case, though. I know a lot of other players complain about necks being too wide, sometimes even on a 4-string. For them, the narrow 5-string neck would be a must.

 

As far as what you need in the studio, if you must own only one instrument, I'd say the two most important things would be:

 

1) Well-suited to your playing. I've noticed that string spacing, action and response all affect the way I play. Rhythms, note choices, pocket, the whole works. If an uncomfortable instrument is cramping your style, that's no good.

 

2) Sounds good on tape. This is a bit tricky to spot. One of my favorite recordings of me was made with a bass that sucked onstage. As a matter of fact, I sold it before the recording came back, and when it did, I kicked myself. A bass that records well is very important, because IME, a lot of small studios spend an absolute minimum amount of time working on bass tracks. If the signal doesn't have a good "presence" going on to tape, chances are your track is going to get buried. Either that or they'll grumble as they try to fix it... and look at hiring someone else with more happening tone.

 

To me, these factors by far outweigh the number of strings, and in some cases they might even favor the 4-string. (or not)

 

In the time it takes to really develop a career, you'll probably have opportunities to pick up additional instruments in order to satisfy more specific requirments. (flatwound passive, fretless, hollowbody, etc...) No one bass does it all (nor does any one player... that I know of).

[61Pbass]

Jeff, great post, you make some excellent points. I also have a bass (an old Charvel 2b Custom) that is just HORRIBLE on stage, but for some reason is a tone monster in the studio. I never have figured out why, but what the heck, if it works, don't complain, right?

[Tom Capasso]

Hey Jeff, ever tried a Pedulla 5? I'm looking for narrow, so to me, it's too wide of a neck, and too wide spacing. If the spacing didn't suit you, there's enough room to put a different nut on and open it up. I think you could land a small plane on that neck

 

Tom

[Jeff Addicott]

Yeah, I like the Pedullas a lot. I've tried the Rapture J-5 and the Thunderbolt, and the spacing is quite "generous", as you say. IME they're the only "real" 5-strings to be had at Guitar Center (and priced accordingly).

 

You should check out my Warmoth, though. You would really hate it. The NUT is 2 1/8" wide. (Teen Town? No thanks, I'll pass... great for grooving, though.) You want a real runway? How about the Yamaha TRB 6-string? 3/4" spacing over 6 strings. That was a real doozy.

[AlembicKoa]

With this talk of "spacing", has anyone tried the Fender Roscoe Beck 5? The spacing is generous and I enjoyed it for my particular style of playing. Thoughts???

[The Fonz]

OMG! yamaha 6? you need prehensile toes to play that beast. what were they thinking?

[Joel Wilson]

My humble 20+ years experience, I've never been denied or lost a gig because I only have four strings (okay, and an 8 banger). Same with tapping, harmonics, gear limitations, style interpretation, etc. I suppose it's my naive outlook that as long as I (attempt to) play what is asked of me, and make the "man" happy, then I am doing my job. Silly me, eh?

 

That said, I have gone to sessions and recognized that my good freind "so-and-so" would do a better job for variuous reasons and slipped his name and # to the Producer. Am I taking food off my table? Maybe for the moment, but I always seem to get paid back in spades. Afterall, good deeds are generally paid back 3-fold and the more "lists" you are on, the more your phone rings.

 

Oops, 'scuse me... gotta go, I think I hear it ringing now! -JW

[Invincible]

I wish I had a choice, but being completely skint I cant get a 5 string